Container closure



Dec. 17, 1929.

J. M. HOTHERSALL CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed June 1927 INZEgTOR I BY flM I fATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 17,1929

v PATENT oF Flor:

KLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 'ro Armament can I A CORPORATIQN OF NEW JERSEYcon'ramnncLosUnE Application filed June 6,

This invention relates in general to 010- sures for'containers adaptedto be flexed in different parts for releasing and applying the closurecaps. Such closures are released by depressing a bulged top whichspreads locking fingers at the sides, and pressure 7 upon the top edgeand sides contracts the fingers and restores the bulge of the top.

Unless the parts of a closur of this type 10 are properly proportioned,it as been found that it opens more easily than it is closed,necessitating careful handling in shipment and storage to preventaccidental opening.

A principal object of the invention,therefore, is the provision of means-for preventing accidental opening of the closure without the use of alocking band orother device separate from or additional to thecooperative construction of the container mouth and cap. Another objectof the invention is the provision of reinforced nozzle and capconstruction which will withstand rough handling and prevent injurybefore filling and closing. Numerous other objects of the invention willbe apparent as it is better understood from the following description,which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses apreferred embodiment there- 0 Referring to the drawings: Figure '1 is aside elevation of a portion of a container provided with aclosureembodying this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the-cooperative construction of theparts in detail.

In carrying out this invention, the. container mouth or nozzle and thecap constructions are proportioned to provide an improved flexingleverage, so that it is difiicult v to open the closure accidentally, orby bumps and shocks which are incidental to thehandling andtransportation of filled containers.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a sheet metal'container. 11of any wellknown type and shape is provided with a pouring mouth ornozzle 12 secured to the upper edge 13 of the body. The nozzle has atapered or conical breast 14.- with an upright neck 15 .risingtherefrom, which is flared out- I wardly, formingan inclined'surface 16ex- 1927; Serial no; 196,692.

tending to an angular shoulder 17 and then gradually reduced, forming aconical surface 18 substantially at right angles to the inclined surface16, the inner and upper edge being turned inwardly forming astrengthening curl or bead 19 and an upper, slightly rounded,'sealingridge 20. I The flexing cap 21 comprises. a raised domed, or bulgedcentral portion 22, and a connected frusto-conical portion 23, having achannel portion 24 which continues outwardly and'ppwardly to form anouter raised margin 25, thence turned downwardly to provide a dependingskirt -26 slit at intervals to form segmental locking fingers 27' whichhave inwardly turned engaging flanges 28.,

Insertabl e between the nozzle and the looking cap is a sealing disk orpacking 29 of felt-or other suitable material, which is compressible,and this packing has a facingor covering 30 of fluid tight material,such as lead foil, either on both sides of the packing or preferablyonly on that side which contacts with the sealin ridge. 20. This sealingdisk 29 is prefera ly of such diameter as to fit closely within thesealing cap by frictional engagement with the inner wall or skirtportion, even though the cap is not applied to the container.

. In applying the ca to the container, pressure applied to theulged top22 forces it from the outer side of a central plane to the inner sidethereof, which expands the fingers of the depending skirt, allowing thelocking. flanges 28 to clear the outer shoulder 17 of the containernozzle. Pressure is then applied to the rounded margin 25 and alsoagainst the skirt portion 26, which returns the central dome 22 to itsoriginal position and locks the segmental flanges 28 yieldingly againstthe inclined surface 16 of the container nozzle at a distance below theshoul-- der 17 y To remove the ca from the container, the dome 22 isdepresse which expands the outer ends of the fingers 27 and frees theflanges 28 from engagementwith the inclined surface- 16, clearin theshoulder 17, so that the cap can be free y lifted from the container. Ifthere is a sealing disk, as 29,. in the cap .provided a long leverageeration and a short leverage for the closing 21, the application of aslight pressure in attaching the cap will distort the packing asindicated, for example, in Fig. 2, pressing the fluid tight material 30tightly against the sealing ridge 20, so that the flanges 28 of the capengaging the inclined surface 16 of the nozzle will hold the packingyieldingly in fluid tight engagement, the flanges sliding upon andengaging the inclined surface 16 depending upon the pressure applied tothe ca v in previous closures of this type the fulcrum of the cap beingclose to the outer edge for the opening opoperation, resulting in aclosure easily opened by a comparatively slight pressure upon the domedpart, thereby causing accidental opening and spilling of the contents.

To prevent accidental unlocking of this cap, the sealing ridge 20against which the cap acts in its flexing action, is disposed inwardlyfrom the outer edge of the cap and as near to the central do'me 22'aspossible. The channel 24 is also at a distance inwardly from the'outeredge of the can with the adj acent frusto-conical part 23 disposed forengagement with the sealing ridge 20 or with the sealing disk 29interposed therebetween. This brings the fulcrum point of the cap as farinwardly or as near to the central part of the cap as possible, therebyreducing the length of leverage for an opening pressure application, sothat containers of this type are uniformly and substantially proofagainst accidental opening.

The nozzle bend between the parts 15 and 16, the shoulder 17 and thecurl or bead 19 greatly reinforce the nozzle and help to protect it frominjury before the container is filled.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andar-- rangelnent of the parts without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1-. A flexing closure, comprising a cap havmg a central domed portionand depending locking fingers operated by a flexing movement of thedome. the cap having an annular flexing line at a distance from theperiphery thereof and a smaller circular flexing line at the top of thecap to equalize the flexing leverage of the domed portion and of thelocking fingers.

2. sheet metal flexing cap having at its margin depending lockingfingers adapted to engage beneath a projecting part of a nozzle, saidcap having an outer circular line of inner line of fiexure, and anelevated central panel adapted to be depressed to a plane below theplane of said first line of fiexure, whereby said fingers are caused tomove radially outward and disengage from said projecting part of thenozzle.

3. A sheet metal flexing can having at its margin depending lockingfingers adapted to engage beneath a projecting part of a. nozzle, saidcap having an outer circular line of fiexure near said fingers, asmaller inner circular line of opposite fiexure near its top, said capinclining upward the inner line of fiexure, and an elevated centralpanel adapted. to bedepressed to a plane below the plane of said firstline of fiexure, whereby said fingers are caused to move radiallyoutward said projecting part of the nozzle, and a sheet metal nozzlebent outward to form a shoulder and having its margin curled inward anddownward to form a circular from the outer to and disengage from

